School Fees in Singapore (Infographic)

Most Expensive & Affordable Schools in Singapore

Singapore has one of the top education systems in the world. Singapore’s education system supports the development of children’s strengths and social skills. Schools in Singapore produce students with strong academic results who later go on to pursue successful careers.

Learn more about why Singapore’s education system is considered a global standard.

Quick Facts

Singapore has the highest achieving primary and secondary pupils in international math and science tests.
In Singapore, most people aged 15 and over can read and write, boasting a 97% overall literacy rate.
98% of men and 98.2% of women are literate, which is greater than most Asian countries.
8% of Singapore’s population have secondary school diplomas.
English is used as the main language of instruction.

Schools in Singapore

As of 2018, there are a total of 185 Primary Schools, 150 secondary schools, 16 mixed level schools, and 14 junior colleges in Singapore. The type of secondary school a child attends will determine their career path. For example, those who achieve A Levels may attend a university, while others may study at technical institutes.

Each school or institution is categorized into five types – Specialized, Specialized Independent, Independent, Government-aided, and Government schools. Government schools outnumber independent and specialized institutions, with a total of 144 schools.

Student–Teacher Ratio

According to data from the Singapore government, the current number of students in Singapore is 446,582. Teachers in Singapore number around 33,378. This means that for every 1 teacher, there are 13 students. Singapore’s teaching force has grown by 20%, which is comparable to OECD standards. Instead of reducing class size, Singapore opted to increase the number of teachers deployed to help students.

Structure of Education System in Singapore

Primary – Singaporean children attend preschool up to the age of six, getting prepared for primary school, where they will spend 6 years. This stage teaches children basic math skills, gives them a good grasp of the English language, and improves their knowledge of their mother tongue.
Secondary – Students need to choose a path, either to attend a normal secondary school (five years) or a specialized school that leads to O-Levels in four years.
Post-Secondary – This usually takes between one to three years and offers a choice of schools, including junior colleges, polytechnics, and institutes of technical education.

School Fees in Singapore

Data from Edarabia.com suggests that the average yearly school fees in Singapore ranges from 1,800 SGD (1,309.57USD) to 46,350 SGD (33721.28 USD). The United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA) East Campus is the most expensive, with an average annual fee ranging from 38,685 SGD (28,142.76 USD) to 46,350 SGD (33,718.93 USD). Meanwhile, the most affordable school is School of the Arts Singapore (SOTA) with fees ranging from 350 SGD (254.62 USD) to 2600 SGD (1,891.46 USD).

School Fees for Citizens & Non-Citizens

Every year, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore regularly reviews and issues revised school fees for Singapore permanent residents (PR) and international students (IS) enrolled in Government and Government-aided schools. Revised fees take effect January of each year.

According to MOE, school fees will continue to rise in the next three years. School fees each year range from 155 to 205 SGD (112.76 to 149.13 USD) per month for PR students, and 415 to 750 SGD (301.93 to 545.65 USD) per month for international students.

School Fees in Singapore [Guide]